How you can help

I've Found a Cat

IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE FOUND A STRAY CAT

Before we can help or take in a stray cat we need to be sure it doesn't have an owner nearby. To do this we ask you to carry out the following few things.

Ask your neighbours if they know whose cat it is. Knock on all the doors in your street and even streets adjacent to yours. What might seem like a long distance to us, might be a hop over a few fences to a cat.

Put up notices and posters in the area and in local shops, preferably with a picture, asking if the cat has an owner. Keep some information about the cat back so you can be sure anyone claiming the cat is the rightful owner.

Take the cat (in a secure cat basket) to a local vet to have it scanned for a microchip. Vets don't normally charge for this service. This is a tiny chip inserted under the skin with all the cats owners details. If the cat is chipped we can call the owner to find out where the cat lives. In some cases one of our volunteers can call round to scan the cat.

Post details on social media such as your local village/town Facebook page or Lost & Found pages online. Please be aware that not eveyone is on social media or will see the page you advertise on so it is important to not solely rely on social media for advertising.

Put a paper collar on the cat with a note asking for the owner to contact you or us. Cats Protection can supply you with paper collars. Ideally a collar should be left on for 2 weeks before we would class the cat as a stray.

If you've done all the above and can't find the owner, then please send details of the cat to us so we can advertise on our Facebook page, add the details to our lost & found register and check against cats reported missing to us. Please include a photo (if possible), where the cat was found, when the cat was frist seen and any other information that may help us identify the cats owner. Our email address is lostandfound@stneots.cats.org.uk or you can call 01480 476696 (9am - 6pm, Monday to Friday)

Please be careful not to mistake an old thin cat with a stray. Many elderly cats get very thin in old age but are well cared for. For more advice please call us on 01480 476696 (9am - 6pm, Monday to Friday).

If the cat needs medical assistance, and we are not available, please contact your local vet or the RSPCA for advice and help. Please do not delay treatment waiting for a returned call.

Who to report a found cat to in the St Neots, Huntingdon & St Ives area, including online Lost & Found services